Fencing game apparatus.



PATENTED DEG. 11,1906.

I E. J. GRANT. FENCING GAME APPARATUS.-

APPLICATION FILED IAY12, 1904.

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FENCING GAME APPARATUS. Arrmouron FILED MAY 12, 1904.

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Fig. 2 is a front view of the target and its sup- EDWIN J. GRANT, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

FENCING GAME APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed May 12, 1904.. Serial No. 207,527.

To all whom, it natty concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN J. GRANT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Fencing Game Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a game apparatus which will present most of the features and advantages of fencing as a recreation and exercise, but will be free from the disadvantages of fencing arising from liability of danger to the person. For this purpose I provide target means which are intended to be used in connection with the usual fencing-foils or with suitable sticks, so that the target as an object of attack or de fence will take the place of the body of the personfencing.

A further object of the invention is to provide target means for this purpose which will guard against lateral attack and can only be reached by direct thrust in front in analogy to the attack by a foil upon the person.

A further object of the invention is to provide target means for the above purpose which will be collapsible so as to be more readily stored and shipped.

Another object of the invention is to provide target means with renewable target parts.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 shows the use of the target de vices, two persons being shown with foils and targets and in the act of playing the game.

porting means. Fig. 3 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the target on the line 90 m in Fig. 2, showing the renewable target proper in the act of being placed in position. Fig. 5 is a plan of the foot-piece or base for the target-support. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a different form of the invention. Fig. 7 is a rear view thereof. Fig. 8 is a verticalsection on the line 00 x in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a horizontal section on the line at m in Fig. 7.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, 1 designatesa suitable base or foot-piece, which is adapted to be placed upon the floor or other suitable support and to be held in position by placing the players foot thereon. Said base is provided with lugs or brackets 2, to which is pivoted at 3 a frame 4, that carries the target device proper. Said target device may de- 1 sirably consist of a sheet or disk 5, of paper or other suitable penetrable material, I adapted to be cut or torn by the impact thereon of the end of the foil, so as to indicate or register the fact of such impact. Said disk may be'held inan inner frame 6, t which is connected to the outer frame 4 by l elastic or flexible connections 7, which may, i for example, be strips or bands of soft rubber or elastic fabric. To enable the target, sheet, or disk to be readily put in place and removed for renewal, I may attach same to l the inner frame-ring 6 by means of a clamping or holding ring 8, which is slightly smaller than the inner framering 6, so that a sheet of paper or similar material can be stretched across either of said rings and on shoving the smaller ring into the larger ring the paper will be clamped between the rings and stretched tightly in place. Means are provided for holding the frame 4 at the desired angle with the base or support 1, said means consisting, preferably, of frictional means at the pivotal connections 3, said means being here shown as a butterfly-nut at one of said connections screwing on the pivotal bolt thereof to tighten the frictional connection and clamp the base and frame at the desired angle. The base 1 and frame 4 are here shown as formed of wire, bent to form a construction sufliciently stiff and light for the purpose. This construction of the frame and support of wire gives a certain amount of elasticity to these parts. V

The fencing game apparatus is intended to be used by two persons, each of whom is provided with a foil and with one of the tar gets. The target may be placed on the floor and one foot of the player placed on the base 1 to hold the device in position, the two targets being placed in opposition and at such a distance apart that each player standing behind his own target can reach the other target with his foil. Each player then attempts to reach and penetrate the other target With his foil and at the same time aims to prevent his opponent from reaching his own target.

.The outer and inner frames 4 and 6 constitute guards surrounding the target 5 in I such manner that the target cannot be reached or injured by lateral impact, but a direct thrust against the front of same is necessary. The yielding or elastic support for the target prevents any injury to the l target-supporting means or to the foil by direct impact of the foil upon the rigid frame parts. The support of the target by outer and inner frames, each of small areathat is to say, exposing but little surface in a direction whichwould obstruct the passage of a foil perpendicular to the targetand the connection of the frames by the bands 7, also of small area, also contribute to this result by supporting the target in such manner that the obstruction to the free passage of the foilon any side of the target in a direction perpendicular to the target will be reduced to a minimum. The liability of injury either to the foil or to the apparatus or of the ar resulting from such impact will thereby be avoided so far as possible.

The target-frame 4 may have wires 9 strung thereon to divide the target member 5 into a central portion or bulls-eye and one or more outer portions.

My invention may be variously carried out Without departing from the general principle of operation thereoffor example, in Figs. 6 to 9 the target device is shown as composed of a base 1 and a member 4, hinged thereto at 3 and carrying the target proper, which in this form consists of a device 10, hinged at 11 to the back of member 4 and extending up beyond same in position to be exposed for impact by the foil. A spring-catch 13 is provided on the member 4 to hold the device 10 in exposed position until it is forcibly driven back by such impact, whereupon the said spring-catchwill yield to permit passage backward and downward of the device 10. A guard in the form of a wire arch 14 may extend from the member 4 around the device 10, so as to protect it from lateral impact. The member 4 is provided with means for holding it at the desired angle, consisting, for example, of a hook 15 at one or both ends of the member 4, pivoted to base 1 and hooking on any one of a number of pins 16 at the end of member 4. The member 4 may be made or painted in imitation of a fort, and the device lOmay be made or painted in imitation of a guard or soldier thereon. Any number of the devices 10 may of course be used. As an additional feature the game apparatus may have a target device at either or both sides responding to lateral impact, said device consisting, for example, of a bar or member 17, pivoted at 18 to the member 4, its pivot being transverse to that of the device 10, so as to allow said bar to swing to one side, but not backwardly, a spring-catch 19 being provided to hold said bar in upright or elevated position by engaging frictionally therewith, but yielding when forcible lateral pressure is brought upon said bar to allow said bar to swing downwardly and inwardly to one side. Said bar or member 17 may be made in imitation of a flagstaff and flag. This game may be played similarly to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, each of the two players holding the target means in position by his foot and aiming to strike the target means of his opponent, While defending his own. In this case, however, there will be both lateral and direct thrust to guard against.

What I claim is- 1. A frame having a foot-receiving support and a puncturable target detachably supported in and surrounded by said frame.

2. A frame having a foot-receiving support detachably pivoted thereto, and a puncturable target detachably supported in and surrounded by said frame.

3. A support formed of wire bent to form an extended and elastic base, a wire frame adjustably pivoted to said support, and a puncturable target detachably secured in and surrounded by said frame.

4. In a fencing game apparatus, a puncturable target device, means for detachably supporting said target device, an open-guard wire frame extending around said device, and separated therefrom but connected thereto by connections of an elastic or flexible nature.

5. A fencing game apparatus comprising a support with a horizontally-extended footreceiving portion, and a target-frame extending upwardly from said support, and adjustable thereon.

6. A fencing game apparatus comprising a support with a horizontally-extended footreceiving portion, and a target device adjustably pivoted to and extending upwardly from said support.

7. The combination with an outer supporting-frame, an inner frame, elastic connections supporting the inner frame from the outer frame, and a sheet of puncturable material supported in the inner frame.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, this 4th day of May, 1904.

EDWIN J. GRANT.

In presence of ARTHUR P. KNIGHT, A. M. HOLLY.

ICC 

